Rev 20:1-6 | Geneva | STEP | And {1} I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key {2} of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (1) Now follows the third part of the prophetic history, which is of the victory by which Christ overcame the dragon, as I noted in . This part must necessarily be joined with the end of the twelfth chapter and be applied to the correct understanding of it. This chapter has two parts, one of the dragon overcome, to : the other of the resurrection and last judgment to . The story of the dragon is twofold: First of the first victory, after which he was bound by Christ, to the sixth verse . The second is of the last victory, by which he has thrown down into everlasting punishment, there to the fifteenth verse . This first history happened in the first time of the Christian Church, when the dragon thrown down from heaven by Christ, went about to molest the new birth of the Church in the earth, . For which cause I gave warning, that this story of the dragon must be joined to that passage. (2) That is, of hell, where God threw the angels who had sinned, and bound them in chains of darkness to be kept till damnation,

‏ Revelation of John 20:1-6

And {1} I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key {2} of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

(1) Now follows the third part of the prophetic history, which is of the victory by which Christ overcame the dragon, as I noted in Re 7:1. This part must necessarily be joined with the end of the twelfth chapter and be applied to the correct understanding of it. This chapter has two parts, one of the dragon overcome, to Re 20:2-10: the other of the resurrection and last judgment to Re 20:11-15. The story of the dragon is twofold: First of the first victory, after which he was bound by Christ, to the sixth verse Re 20:1-6. The second is of the last victory, by which he has thrown down into everlasting punishment, there to the fifteenth verse Re 20:7-15. This first history happened in the first time of the Christian Church, when the dragon thrown down from heaven by Christ, went about to molest the new birth of the Church in the earth, Re 12:17,18:1. For which cause I gave warning, that this story of the dragon must be joined to that passage. (2) That is, of hell, where God threw the angels who had sinned, and bound them in chains of darkness to be kept till damnation, 2Pe 2:4 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him {3} a thousand years,

(3) The first of which (continuing this history with the end of the second chapter) in the 36 years from the passion of Christ, when the Church of the Jews being overthrown, Satan attempted to invade the Christian church gathered from the Gentiles, and to destroy part of her seed, Re 12:17. The thousandth year falls precisely on the times of that wicked Hildebrand, who was called Gregory the seventh, a most damnable necromancer and sorcerer, whom Satan used as an instrument when he was loosed out of bonds, from then on to annoy the saints of God with most cruel persecutions, and the whole world with dissentions, and most bloody wars: as Benno the Cardinal reports at large. This is the first victory gained over the dragon in the earth. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations {4} no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed {5} a little season.

(4) Namely, with that public and violent deceit which he attempted before in chapter 12 and which after a thousand years (alas for woe!) he most mightily achieved in the Christian world. (5) Which being once expired, the second battle and victory shall be; Re 20:7,8. {6} And I saw {a} thrones, and they sat upon them, and {7} judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were {8} beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which {9} had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

(6) A description of the common state of the Church of Christ in earth in that space of a thousand years, during which the devil was in bonds; in which first the authority, life, and common honour of the godly, is declared, Re 20:4. Secondly, newness of life is preached to others by the gospel after that time; Re 20:5. Finally, he concludes with promises, Re 20:6. (a) For judgment was committed to them, as to members joined to the head: not that Christ's office was given over to them. (7) This was a type of the authority of the good and faithful servants of God in the Church, taken from the manner of men. (8) Of the martyrs, who suffered in those first times. (9) Of the martyrs who suffered after both the beasts were now risen up, chapter 15. For there, these things are expounded. {10} But the rest of the dead {11} lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection.

(10) Whoever shall lie dead in sin, and not know the truth of God. (11) They shall not be renewed with newness of the life by the enlightening of the gospel of the glory of Christ. For this is the first resurrection, by which souls of the dead do rise from their death. In the second resurrection their bodies shall rise again. Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the {12} second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, {13} and shall reign with him a thousand years.

(12) That by this both body and soul, that is, the whole man is condemned and delivered to eternal death; Re 2:11. (13) A return to the intended history, by resuming the words which are in the end of the fourth verse Re 20:4.